First Novice Moot Court Competition

The 1^st Novice Moot Court Competition, organized by the School of Law, took place on the 15^th and 16^th of May 2023. The event was specifically tailored for first year students who were new to moot court competitions and aimed to provide them with practical experience in advocacy and legal argumentation. Participants were tasked with arguing their positions as plaintiffs and defendants in a fictitious case, and the competition consisted of multiple rounds, allowing them to refine their arguments and receive feedback from experienced judges. A total of 14 teams participated in the event. In addition to the invaluable learning experience, top performers were promised recognition and prizes to acknowledge their outstanding performance. Furthermore, participation certificates were awarded to all participants, in recognition of their dedication and commitment to improving their legal skills.

The inaugural session commenced with the blessings of goddess Saraswati. The Student Co-convenor Ms. Jaishree Bhadauria declared the event open with Ms. Nimisha Singh, Assistant Professor of Psychology, School of Law, as the Chief Guest who shared words of wisdom and offered blessings to the participants. Subsequently, the address by Prof. Dr. Ashish Verma, Dean, School of Law, focused on the aims and objectives of organizing the Moot Court Competition. Following the conclusion of the inaugural session, teams were allocated through a draw of lots and were directed to the respective Moot Court rooms. The preliminary rounds were held in 2 parts, and judges from the senior batches evaluated the participants’ performances. From the preliminary rounds, TC 01, TC 04, TC 06 and TC 14 advanced to the semifinal round. The semifinalists competed against each other and among them TC 04 and TC 14 emerged as the finalists. The Final round took place on the 16^th May 2023 in the afternoon, with esteemed judges including Mr. Aditya Barthwal, Mr. Ankit Singh and Mr. Sankalp Chaturvedi, Advocates, presided over the session. After a rigorous competition and 90 minutes of grilling from the judges, TC 04 emerged as the winner, which was announced during the valedictory session.

The valedictory session began with a keynote address by Chief Guest Mr. Aditya Barthwal, Advocate, who highlighted the objective of Novice Moot Court Competition in providing a supportive and educational environment for first year students to develop and enhance their advocacy skills and gain confidence in a competitive setting. Subsequently, the prize felicitation ceremony recognized and celebrated the achievements of the participants. The winner was TC 04 (Priya Giri and Khewan Chandna), Runner Up - TC 14 (Aloukik Suvin and Khushi), Best Male Mooter - Navdeep Sharma (TC 01 Speaker 1), Best Female Mooter - Rashi Veera Singh (TC 06 Speaker 2) and Best Memorial - Sreemoyee and Aman (TC 02). The Valedictory session concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Arpit Garg, Student Coordinator followed by a photoshoot with all the winners, participants, and faculty members, capturing the memorable moments of the successful event. The 1^st Novice Moot Court Competition undoubtedly provided a valuable platform for first year law students to hone their skills and gain practical experience in the field of advocacy.